Teigarhorn in Djupavogshreppur – the green dotted line indicates the area boundary. |
Teigarhorn farm in Djupavogshreppur is one of the most renowned zeolites’ spot in the world, as natural conditions provide exceptional opportunities to examine and study the formation, type and chemistry of the zeolites. Some interesting and unique pieces in terms of type and size, have been collected at Teigarhorn. Outside of Iceland, zeolites from the site can be seen in various museums of natural history, such as in the Natural History Museum in London.
Since 1975, Teigarhorn farm has partly been protected as a natural monument by the nature conservation act, in 2013, the entire land was declared a nature reserve by the same act. The aim of the protection is to preserve and maintain the natural conditions, especially in zeolite-rich areas, as well as to allow public access to the area.
It is strictly prohibited to disturb or remove zeolite minerals, whether they are embedded in rock or lying loose. For your safety, and for the protection of the flora and fauna , please take utmost care and stay on the marked trail when possible
Some part of the land is also a protected Eider Duck nesting ground and that part has a restricted access from mid May til the end of June.
The old house at Teigarhorn was built in 1880-1882 by Niels Weywadt (1814-1883), director of the Ørum and Wulff enterprise at Djúpivogur. He came to Iceland around, 1840, married a Danish woman and they had 14 children.Second eldest of the couple´s children was Nicoline (1848-1921), who studied photography and mineralogy in Copenhagen. She managed the farm after her father´s death and built a photographic workroom onto the house.
There she worked for a time with her cousin, Hansína Regína Björnsdóttir (1884-1973). Nicoline Weywadt was one of the finest photographers in Iceland.
The house was originally clad with tar paper, which was highly unusual at this time in Iceland. The last inhabitants moved out in 1988, and since 1992 the house has been part of the National museum historic buildings collection.
